Hayleys choice of concert songs

[Mark]

Hi everyone

Grant & I started a conversation in another thread sparked off by a conversation I had with Hayley recently. So that the thread concerned doesn't go off topic, I thought I would carry things on here.

In short, I asked Hayley if she would consider adding 'Never Saw Blue' back into her songlist for some of the concerts coming up over the next few months (its my absolute favourite and its fantastic performed live). She thought long and hard for a moment and said she would definately think about it as she hadn't performed the song live for some time. "Its just that it costs money" she added. I wasnt sure that I understood exactly what she meant. Anyway here is Grants reply...

Yesterday at 4:40pm, Mark wrote:I did ask Hayley if she would consider adding 'Never Saw Blue' back to her concert routine as she hasn't performed this for a while. Anyway, she said she would think about it but its just that it costs money.


Hi Mark

That's an interesting statement for Hayley to make. I wonder if there are royalty implications? As for rehearsals for different songs - yes, if it's a one off but if a song is put back into the set list, then it's the same as the rest and down to the sound check.

Royalty implications may impact on a number of songs she performs - I'd never considered that before!

Best wishes
Grant

Hi Grant

I never considered the royalty aspects of performing either to be honest. When I thought about it, she was unlikely to be referring to the cost of rehersal time - as Ian & Fiona performed Never Saw Blue lots of times during 2005/6, so I dont think that would be the issue.

Anyone else got any thoughts ?

Best regards
Mark

[Jeff]

"It costs money." I'll try that excuse next time I get my gas bill ! Seriously though, aren't you a bit surprised that someone in Hayley's (fortunate) financial position would say such a thing ?

[milewalker]

May 22, 2008 9:00:47 GMT Jeff said:

"It costs money." I'll try that excuse next time I get my gas bill ! Seriously though, aren't you a bit surprised that someone in Hayley's (fortunate) financial position would say such a thing ?

Not a bit surprised Jeff. I have seen little to make me believe that her financial position is particularly "fortunate" - though of course this depends on context as very few people her age own their own house.

This has been dicussed elsewhere, so I will be brief....

1. The dollar figure given for the value of a recording contract is not the artists salary - it is the promotional budget. In fact, in some cases a contract can expire with the artist actually owing the record company money.
2. They spent too much money early on in the US, and to this point have not recovered the investment - and I think this is still a factor in her current financial situation.
3. Like most artists, Hayley's main source of income is doing concerts - which are actually individual business ventures in their own right, and can therefore make more or less money depending on how things work out.
The scale of this is rather small in her case, because she plays small venues, hence the relative importance of keeping her overhead down.

She also of course has established additional revenue streams from the soundtracks and a couple of commercials.

In short, while I dont think she will ever starve, I am not surprised that the issue of her finances arises from time to time.

Jon

[the28sky]

Hi Mark,

Never Saw Blue is also my favourite track and it would be great to hear it again live. I was wondering about what she said about performing the song. Never Saw Blue is not a song originally written by Hayley, so maybe is a copyright problem?

Emil

[Dave]

Hi guys,

Interesting subject Mark and I think you've all pretty well covered it. Hayley has made comments before about her "debt" (to the record company), including in at least one media interview I can remember, so it doesn't seem to embarrass her. I find her relative openness (compared to other artists) a refreshing attitude and the fact that she answered the recent question openly indicates to me that she hasn't really changed at all as a person, she's still the same Hayley, well in that way anyway.

It also explains why many of the "big name" duets that some members ask for may never happen - they would cost too much (The Andrea Bocelli duet on Odyssey probably cost a small fortune!). The look on Hayley's and Steve A's face when some time ago I asked about a Vivo Per Lei duet, well that said it all! The solution to the duet issue is, of course, to find duets that work well and that benefit both parties equally, so little if any "transfer" costs are likely to be involved. The Jonathan Ansell duet is, I am sure, an excellent example of that.

Cheers, Dave

[stuartj]

May 22, 2008 8:22:20 GMT Mark said:

Anyone else got any thoughts ?

Best regards
Mark

Is it to do with promotion and printing of programmes, etc? (Just a wild guess.)